Hunting and increased development completely wiped out the wild turkeys, but in the past few decades, the large birds have rebounded in a big way. Turkeys are increasingly popping up in urban and residential areas.

“It is a great success story we were able to get them re-established,” said Wayne Petersen, director of important bird areas for Mass Audubon.

The Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife tried in 1911, then in the 1950s and ‘60s, to bring wild turkeys back to the Bay State, but the attempts didn’t find success until the late-1970s. That is when adult turkeys trapped in upstate New York were moved into the Berkshires. The initial group of 37 turkeys took hold and thrived. As the wild turkey population grew, MassWildlife caught some of the birds and brought them to other parts of the state and turkeys soon became a re-established species.

Today, wild turkeys are found in every community in mainland Massachusetts. Wildlife officials estimate their population is approximately 25,000.

“What is probably noticeable to people is that there are more and more turkeys hanging out in residential areas, suburban areas and even some urban areas,” said Marion Larson, a MassWildlife spokeswoman. “People are not always sure how to react when they see a bird that weighs up to 25 pounds with some serious looking toes and spurs.”

In wild areas, turkeys are notoriously skittish around people, Petersen said. But when they’re in suburban or urban areas, they often lose their fear of humans.

While typically harmless, turkeys can, on rare occasions, act aggressively and peck or claw at people. Although that behavior isn’t common, it’s happened enough that MassWildlife offers tips detailing how to deal with aggressive turkeys.

What to do with an aggressive turkey

In a turkey flock, the birds follow a pecking order. In a flock with a particularly aggressive alpha male, other turkeys may become emboldened and act aggressively toward people to figure out where the humans fit in the pecking order, Larson said.

“I’d say 95 percent of these birds are fine; they’re not aggressive,” Larson said. “The rogue birds get all the attention for obvious reasons, because they’re the ones chasing after the mail man, pecking at cars.”

Wildlife officials also say people should not let turkeys intimidate them. Making loud noises, swinging a broom and spraying water from a hose are all recommended deterrents.

They are large birds that can fly but are sometimes attacked by coyotes and foxes. The presence of a pet dog can keep turkeys away from a yard.

If turkeys act so aggressively, they become a threat to public safety MassWildlife recommends calling the local police or animal control. When the ringleaders of the flock are put down, the rest of the flock typically reverts back to normal, benign behavior, Larson said.

“When it is at the point of birds going after people and it’s consistently happening, we have advised local officials that if it’s a public safety issue, you can put them down,” Larson said. “It’s not an easy message for some people to accept, but the reality is if it’s a public safety issue, you have to do something.”

The turkey, Petersen said, has an important place in America. After all, he said, Benjamin Franklin proposed making the bird the national symbol of the United States, and one of John James Audubon’s most famous works was a painting of a wild turkey.

“They’re an interesting bird,” Petersen said. “They’re sort of comical to watch in some cases. They have beautiful plumage. They are novel in their own way.”